JP3145424U - Substrate processing equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus having a workpiece positioning mechanism with a simple structure and low apparatus cost is provided.
A reactor 2 and a susceptor 4 for supporting an object to be processed, each of which has a plurality of through holes in a direction perpendicular to a support surface of the object to be processed, and the inside thereof is at least longer than the through holes. A susceptor that accommodates two types of pins in a movable state, an elevating means for moving the pins up and down, and a transport mechanism 5 for transporting the workpiece 3 from the outside of the reactor onto the susceptor. When the object to be processed is transported onto the susceptor by the transport mechanism, the tip end portion of the pin protrudes from the through hole by the elevating means 7, of which the side surface near the tip end portion of at least two pins The substrate processing apparatus is configured so that the peripheral surface of the substrate abuts and the object to be processed is positioned.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to the structure of a substrate processing apparatus.

  Conventionally, in order to process an object to be processed such as a semiconductor substrate, the object to be processed is disposed on a support base (hereinafter referred to as a susceptor) installed in a reaction chamber. At this time, it is necessary to accurately arrange the semiconductor substrate at a predetermined position on the susceptor. For example, if the position of the semiconductor substrate is deviated from a predetermined position in plasma CVD, etching processing, etc., the semiconductor substrate is detached from the susceptor during the process, or the position of the mask is deviated. This causes variation in thickness. In addition, it may cause the adhesion of contaminants, the occurrence of plasma damage, the unevenness of edge escalation, and the like. For this reason, a technique for accurately aligning a semiconductor substrate on a susceptor has been developed (Patent Document 1).

However, the conventional apparatus has a problem that the structure is complicated and the apparatus cost is high. Conventionally, it is necessary to accurately arrange a semiconductor substrate in advance on the transfer robot, and the mechanism of the transfer robot becomes complicated, which also increases the cost of the apparatus.
JP 2003-197716 A

  An object of the present application is to provide a substrate processing apparatus having a workpiece positioning mechanism that is simple in structure and low in apparatus cost.

In one aspect of the present invention, a semiconductor processing apparatus comprises:
A reactor,
A susceptor that is disposed in the reactor and supports an object to be processed. The susceptor has a plurality of through holes in a direction perpendicular to a support surface that supports the object to be processed, and the inside of the plurality of through holes. A susceptor in which at least two types of pins longer than the through hole of the susceptor are housed in a movable state;
Elevating means for moving the pin up and down;
A transport mechanism for transporting the object to be processed onto the susceptor from the outside of the reactor;
A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
When the object to be processed is transported onto the susceptor by the transport mechanism, the tip of the pin protrudes from the through hole by the elevating means, of which the side surface near the tip of the at least two pins and the object to be processed The peripheral surface of the body comes into contact with the body, and the object to be processed is positioned.
It is characterized by that.

  According to the present application, it is possible to provide a substrate processing apparatus having a target object positioning mechanism that is simple in structure and low in apparatus cost.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[First embodiment of the invention]
FIG. 1 schematically shows a semiconductor processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The semiconductor processing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment includes a reactor 2, a susceptor 4 installed inside the reactor 2 for supporting the semiconductor substrate 3, and a semiconductor substrate 3 for transferring the semiconductor substrate 3 onto the susceptor 4. A transfer robot 5 and a shower plate 6 disposed inside and parallel to the susceptor 4 inside the reactor 2 are provided.

  The susceptor 4 is coupled to the lifting mechanism 7 and can move up and down in the vertical direction. In the case where the semiconductor processing apparatus 1 is a plasma CVD apparatus, the susceptor 4 is electrically grounded 8 and defines one electrode for plasma discharge. In the present invention, as will be described later, the susceptor 4 includes a positioning mechanism for the semiconductor substrate 3.

  A transfer chamber 10 is coupled to the reactor 2 via a gate valve 9. Inside the transfer chamber 10, a transfer robot 5 for transferring the semiconductor substrate 3 from a load lock chamber (not shown) into the reactor 2 is installed. The transfer robot 5 is a thin arm type robot as will be described later, and constitutes a part of the positioning mechanism of the present invention.

  The shower plate 6 is connected to a source gas supply device (not shown) through a reaction gas introduction pipe 12. The shower plate 6 is provided with a large number of pores (not shown) for uniformly injecting the reaction gas into the reaction region inside the reactor 2. When the semiconductor processing apparatus 1 is a plasma CVD apparatus, the shower plate 6 is electrically connected to a high frequency oscillator 13 (for example, 13.56 MHz) and defines the other electrode of the plasma discharge.

  An exhaust port 14 for exhausting the gas inside the reactor 2 is provided at the bottom of the reactor 2. The exhaust port 14 is connected to a vacuum exhaust device (not shown) through a gas control valve 15, and the inside of the reactor 2 is controlled to a desired pressure.

  FIG. 2 shows a substrate positioning mechanism of the substrate processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The same components as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a part of the cross section of the susceptor 4 of FIG. 1 and its peripheral region. FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the susceptor 4 of FIG.

  In the first embodiment, the susceptor 4 includes at least three first through holes 21 and at least two second through holes 22. As shown in FIG. 3, the first through hole 21 is provided in the substrate support surface 30 of the susceptor 4, for example, at a position equidistant from the center thereof. The second through hole 22 is provided at the outer peripheral end of the substrate support surface 30 of the susceptor 4. The number and interval of the second through holes 22 can be appropriately determined according to the accuracy necessary for positioning the substrate. In the first embodiment, a case where there are two second through holes 22 will be described as an example.

  Lift pins 23 for moving the semiconductor substrate 3 up and down on the susceptor 4 are inserted into the first through hole 21 so as to be movable in the vertical direction. The semiconductor substrate 3 is positioned in the second through hole 22. A set pin 24 is inserted so as to be movable in the vertical direction.

  The length of the lift pin 23 can be appropriately selected so as to be longer than the length of the through hole 21 of the susceptor 4 and sufficient to raise and lower the substrate on the susceptor. The lengths of the lift pins are set to be equal. The length of the set pin 24 is set longer than the length of the through hole 22 and longer than the lift pin 23. The length of each set pin 24 is set to be equal.

  The thickness of the lift pin 23 and the set pin 24 can be appropriately selected according to the diameter of the through-hole, but in order to suppress the adhesion and generation of contaminants, the thickness of these pins and the diameter of the through-holes 21 and 22 It is preferable to make them approximately equal. The lift pins 23 and the set pins 24 are made of a metal such as an aluminum alloy, but can be made of ceramic or the like.

  Below the susceptor 4, an elevating plate 25 disposed in parallel with the bottom surface of the susceptor 4 is provided. The operation of the lifting plate 25 may be controlled by the lifting mechanism 7 shown in FIG. The upper surface S of the lift plate 25 is in contact with the lower end portions of the lift pins 23 and the set pins 24.

  The transfer robot 5 includes a link-type arm 26 for transferring a substrate. The arm 26 includes a mounting portion 27 for mounting the substrate and a substrate pressing mechanism 28 for pressing the side surface of the semiconductor substrate 3 in the same direction as the loading direction of the semiconductor substrate 3 and moving the semiconductor substrate 3 on the lift pins 23. Have. Here, the substrate pressing mechanism 28 includes a pad 29 a that contacts the side surface end of the semiconductor substrate 3 and a support body 29 b that extends in the horizontal direction for supporting the pad 29 a. The other end of the support 29b is coupled to a control device (not shown) of the transport robot 5, thereby controlling the horizontal movement operation of the pad 29a.

  Next, the operation of the semiconductor processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

  First, the semiconductor substrate 3 is carried into the reactor 2 by the transfer robot 5 from the evacuated load lock chamber (not shown). This substrate loading operation is executed after the transfer chamber 10 is evacuated and the gate valve 9 is opened. The arm 26 of the transfer robot 5 stands by substantially above the substrate support surface 30 of the susceptor 4 with the semiconductor substrate 3 placed on the placement surface 27 (FIG. 2).

  Next, the lift plate 25 is raised, and the tip portions of the lift pins 23 and the set pins 24 protrude from the placement surface of the susceptor 4 and move vertically upward. Eventually, the tip of the lift pin 23 comes into contact with the back surface of the semiconductor substrate 3 on the mounting surface 27 and lifts the semiconductor substrate 3. The semiconductor substrate 3 that has left the mounting surface 27 is supported by a plurality of (for example, three) lift pins 23 and stands by above the susceptor 4.

  At this time, the tip end portion of the set pin 24 moved vertically upward simultaneously with the lift pin 23 is at a position higher than the height level of the semiconductor substrate 3 supported by the lift pin 23 as shown in FIG. That is, the length of the set pin 24 is formed longer than the length of the lift pin 23, and the length of the set pin 24 is higher than the height level when the semiconductor substrate 3 is supported by the lift pin 23. Is configured to be slightly higher.

  Subsequently, the support 29b of the substrate pressing mechanism 28 of the transfer robot 5 extends in the carrying-in direction of the semiconductor substrate 3, and the pad 29a contacts the side surface of the semiconductor substrate 3 to move the semiconductor substrate 3 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. Let The semiconductor substrate 3 moves while sliding on the lift pins 23, and the opposite side surface portion comes into contact with the side surface portion near the tip portion of the set pin 24 and stops (FIG. 2).

  Next, the transfer robot 5 returns to the transfer chamber 10 and the arm 26 is removed from the lower side of the semiconductor substrate 3.

  Finally, as shown in FIG. 4, the lift plate 25 is lowered, and accordingly, the lift pins 23 and the set pins 24 move vertically downward, and the tip portions of these pins are accommodated in the through holes of the susceptor 4. . As a result, the semiconductor substrate 3 is positioned and arranged on the susceptor 4.

  According to the first embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus having a semiconductor substrate positioning mechanism that is simple in structure and low in cost by combining a lift pin and set pin lifting mechanism and a substrate pressing mechanism by a transfer robot. Can be provided.

[Second Embodiment of the Invention]
Next, a substrate processing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 5 schematically shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of a part of the susceptor of the substrate processing apparatus according to the second embodiment and its periphery. The substrate processing apparatus 50 according to the second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the elevating plate is configured independently of the lift pins 23 and the set pins 24. The same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals.

  In the second embodiment, the lifting plate includes a first lifting plate 51 for lift pins and a second lifting plate 52 for set pins. The raising / lowering operations of the first raising / lowering plate 51 and the second raising / lowering plate 52 can be controlled independently, and the relative height positions of the tip portions of the lift pin 23 and the set pin 24 can be freely changed. Is possible.

  Since other operations are the same as those in the first embodiment, the description thereof is omitted.

  According to the second embodiment of the present invention, a substrate processing apparatus having a semiconductor substrate positioning mechanism that is simple in structure and low in cost by combining an independent lifting mechanism for lift pins and set pins and a substrate pressing mechanism using a transfer robot. Can be provided.

[Others]
Although specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the structure of the apparatus disclosed herein is merely an example, and various configurations can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention described in the claims of the utility model registration. Those skilled in the art know that modifications and changes are possible.

1 is a schematic view of a substrate processing apparatus according to the present invention. It is a partial expanded sectional view of the susceptor periphery of the substrate processing apparatus which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. 1 is a plan view of a susceptor of a substrate processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a partial expanded sectional view of the susceptor periphery positioned by the substrate processing apparatus which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is the elements on larger scale of the susceptor periphery of the substrate processing apparatus which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, 2 ... Reactor, 3 ... Semiconductor substrate, 4 ... Susceptor, 5 ... Transfer robot, 6 ... Shower plate, 7 ... Lifting device, 8 -Grounding, 9 ... Gate valve, 10 ... Transfer chamber, 12 ... Gas introduction pipe, 13 ... High frequency oscillator, 14 ... Exhaust port, 15 ... Gas exhaust valve, 21 .. 1st through hole, 22 ... 2nd through hole, 23 ... Lift pin, 24 ... Set pin, 25 ... Elevating plate, 26 ... Arm, 27 ... Mounting part, 28 ... Substrate pressing mechanism, 29a ... pad, 29b ... support.

Claims (6)

A reactor,
A susceptor that is disposed in the reactor and supports an object to be processed. The susceptor has a plurality of through holes in a direction perpendicular to a support surface that supports the object to be processed, and the inside of the plurality of through holes. A susceptor in which at least two types of pins longer than the through hole of the susceptor are housed in a movable state;
Elevating means for moving the pin up and down;
A transport mechanism for transporting the object to be processed onto the susceptor from the outside of the reactor;
A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
When the object to be processed is transported onto the susceptor by the transport mechanism, the tip of the pin protrudes from the through hole by the elevating means, of which the side surface near the tip of the at least two pins and the object to be processed The peripheral surface of the body comes into contact with the body, and the object to be processed is positioned.
A substrate processing apparatus. The transport mechanism includes a pressing mechanism for pressing the object to be processed against a side surface near a tip portion of the at least two pins.
The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1. The through hole includes a plurality of first through holes provided in a support region of the support surface, and at least two second through holes provided outside the support region and in the vicinity of an outer edge portion of the object to be processed. Including holes,
3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein In the first through hole, a lift pin for moving the object to be processed is movably provided, and in the second through hole, a set pin for positioning the object to be processed is movably provided, The set pin is longer than the lift pin,
The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3. The elevating means is configured integrally and moves the lift pin and the set pin simultaneously.
The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4. The elevating means is configured separately and moves the lift pin and the set pin independently.
The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4.

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